The present invention relates generally to the field of networked control and monitoring systems such as those used in industrial automation. More particularly, the invention relates to a technique for accessing data from networked components and building a physical view of a system based upon the accessed data.
Networked control and monitoring systems typically include a wide range of components which are designed to carryout specific functions individually and in cooperation. In industrial automation applications, for example, motor controllers, drives, relays, protection devices, switch gear, and the like are used to regulate application of electrical power to loads such as electric motors. Modern motor control centers, for example, include many such devices which are operated in accordance with sensed operational parameters, operator-induced input signals and settings, and preprogrammed routines. In a typical application, the components are installed at a control site and are linked to controlled and sensing devices. The configuration and programming for the components may be provided by computers, programmable logic controllers, or other logic devices.
Where a large number of components are built into a system, their identification is often relatively rudimentary, relying upon drawings, “as-built” representations, and nameplate information which is typically physically read by operators or technicians. Both during installation and subsequent maintenance or servicing, individual components are separately identified, often visually, and must be manually associated with data collected via a control or monitoring network, where available. Where changes are made to a system after its installation, the reliability of drawings, system layouts, and the like, may become a suspect, and considerable time may be lost in evaluating the actual physical configuration of the system to identify both the desired function of the components and their physical location.
There is a need in the art for an improved technique for identifying networked components, particularly those used to regulate the application of power to electrical loads. There is a particular need for a technique which would facilitate the identification of the components along with their function and physical location in a system, both at the time of installation, and following any changes made to the system during its life.